Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Parent-Proof notes for 6G GF Henry Hendrix
There were several men named Henry Hendrix in York and/or Baltimore County in the mid-1700’s. At least one of them came to York County from Lancaster County and was descended from people who were early associates of the Penns and lived in Chester County. The Chester/Lancaster family had names including: Albertus, Tobias and James. For a while I believed this was our ancestry but DNA evidence seems to indicate otherwise.
I have no doubt that we can trace our ancestry to Adam Hendrix, who at times called himself Adam Miller Hendrix, who patented several large tracts of land in southern York County in the late-1700’s -- in some cases in partnership with Joseph Sutton. I also am quite certain that Adam started out in Baltimore County and that he was closely associated there with an older man named Henry Hendrix who definitely was a resident of Baltimore County by the 1740’s. It is possible that Henry was Adam’s older brother, but my best guess is he was his father. This chapter and my family tree are constructed as if that was the case, albeit without having definite proof of that fact.
There were men named Hendrickson documented in Maryland as early as the late 1600’s, but for now there is no way of linking our ancestor Henry to them or any other early Hendricks in America.
I have no doubt that we can trace our ancestry to Adam Hendrix, who at times called himself Adam Miller Hendrix, who patented several large tracts of land in southern York County in the late-1700’s -- in some cases in partnership with Joseph Sutton. I also am quite certain that Adam started out in Baltimore County and that he was closely associated there with an older man named Henry Hendrix who definitely was a resident of Baltimore County by the 1740’s. It is possible that Henry was Adam’s older brother, but my best guess is he was his father. This chapter and my family tree are constructed as if that was the case, albeit without having definite proof of that fact.
There were men named Hendrickson documented in Maryland as early as the late 1600’s, but for now there is no way of linking our ancestor Henry to them or any other early Hendricks in America.
Relocated notes for 6G GF Henry Hendrix
I know only that Henry lived in Baltimore County by 1741 where he was a carpenter. Whether he was born in Baltimore County or came from somewhere else in America or was born in Europe, I don’t know. He may have owned some land in Pennsylvania later owned by his son, but I’m not sure he ever resided there.
Research notes for 6G GF Henry Hendrix
Robert W Barnes makes brief mention of this family, by the name Hendrickson. ”Henry was in Baltimore County by 4 Apr 1741 when he purchased 70 acre Duke’s Palace. In 1750, 70 acre Duke’s Palace is owned by Adam who may have been the son of Henry.˜
The “list of Hendrix mentions” given me by Becky has citations showing, among other things:
1741 Henry Hendrix buys Dukes Palace in BAL Co from Christopher Duke
1753 Two men named Henry Hendricks sign petition to run road from York to Maryland line
1753 A map shows land adjacent the proposed road owned by Henry Hendricks (Leader Farm area)
1799 A request is made for a new road and Adam Hendriickson now owns the same land
1754 Adam Hendrickson now the owner of Duke’s Palace
1768 Blue Ball is surveyed for Adam Miller Hendrix
also 1742 unpatented survey 685 Hendricksons Fancy to Henry 1742/12/17
The “list of Hendrix mentions” given me by Becky has citations showing, among other things:
1741 Henry Hendrix buys Dukes Palace in BAL Co from Christopher Duke
1753 Two men named Henry Hendricks sign petition to run road from York to Maryland line
1753 A map shows land adjacent the proposed road owned by Henry Hendricks (Leader Farm area)
1799 A request is made for a new road and Adam Hendriickson now owns the same land
1754 Adam Hendrickson now the owner of Duke’s Palace
1768 Blue Ball is surveyed for Adam Miller Hendrix
also 1742 unpatented survey 685 Hendricksons Fancy to Henry 1742/12/17
Discrepant Facts notes for 6G GF Henry Hendrix
Some people say Henry died in Rowan County, NC. There definitely was a man named Henry Hendrix who lived there and his will which he wrote in 1777 was recorded in that place in 1786. He said he felt the need to write his will because he was intending to travel to Maryland and “calling to mind the uncertainty of human nature”. Was he a wanted man in Maryland? Did he have enemies there? Was the fact that the War had begun an issue? I have no idea what that language meant, but it sure is curious.
He named his wife Ruth and mentioned but did not name his children though it is clear from the wording they were not yet of age. There was no mention of land holdings or family back in Maryland.
I do not believe this was the Henry of interest to me. Our Henry would have been fairly old by 1777. I can’t rule anything out -- including that he left his first family in Maryland, moved to North Carolina and started a second family there late in life. But I don’t think so.
It is possible this was the son of our Henry and another possibility is there was no connection whatsoever between Henry of Rowan County and our Baltimore/York family.
He named his wife Ruth and mentioned but did not name his children though it is clear from the wording they were not yet of age. There was no mention of land holdings or family back in Maryland.
I do not believe this was the Henry of interest to me. Our Henry would have been fairly old by 1777. I can’t rule anything out -- including that he left his first family in Maryland, moved to North Carolina and started a second family there late in life. But I don’t think so.
It is possible this was the son of our Henry and another possibility is there was no connection whatsoever between Henry of Rowan County and our Baltimore/York family.
My Comments notes for 6G GF Henry Hendrix
Henry Hendrix is a tough man to get a lead on because there were several of that name in the York County/Baltimore County area by 1750. The key piece of evidence I have about the specific Henry I believe we are descended from is that he bought a tract of 70 acres named Dukes Palace in 1741 from Christopher Duke. That land was later in the possession of and then sold by Adam Hendrickson.
People have long speculated that his wife must have been maiden name Miller since that was the middle name his son used. They go on to say that there was a man named Adam Miller who had the first tavern license in York County and perhaps he was the father of Henry’s wife. But I have come to think there is just too much speculation with no real evidence in support of that theory. Besides, as of now, there is no evidence our Henry ever lived in York County -- another Henry Hendricks did, but not ours. Moreover, Adam Miller Hendricks did use that name but it is not clear if that really was his full actual given name.
As of now, I believe that our Henry was basically a resident of Baltimore County and that he and/or his son(s) acquired land, starting in the 1760’s, near New Freedom, in Shrewsbury Township, York County near the Pennsylvania/Maryland line. Some of that land came later to be owned by Leader Farms. The land the Hendrixes acquired was part of the 15 mile strip of land claimed by both Pennsylvania and Maryland in the first half of the 1700’s and finally decreed by the King of England to be part of Pennsylvania in about 1763.
It seems to me that this must have been a confusing time as it related to laying claim to open land in the disputed area. I believe the Hendricks family took advantage of this state of flux and laid claim to a lot of land -- perhaps more than they might otherwise have been thought to be entitled to.
People have long speculated that his wife must have been maiden name Miller since that was the middle name his son used. They go on to say that there was a man named Adam Miller who had the first tavern license in York County and perhaps he was the father of Henry’s wife. But I have come to think there is just too much speculation with no real evidence in support of that theory. Besides, as of now, there is no evidence our Henry ever lived in York County -- another Henry Hendricks did, but not ours. Moreover, Adam Miller Hendricks did use that name but it is not clear if that really was his full actual given name.
As of now, I believe that our Henry was basically a resident of Baltimore County and that he and/or his son(s) acquired land, starting in the 1760’s, near New Freedom, in Shrewsbury Township, York County near the Pennsylvania/Maryland line. Some of that land came later to be owned by Leader Farms. The land the Hendrixes acquired was part of the 15 mile strip of land claimed by both Pennsylvania and Maryland in the first half of the 1700’s and finally decreed by the King of England to be part of Pennsylvania in about 1763.
It seems to me that this must have been a confusing time as it related to laying claim to open land in the disputed area. I believe the Hendricks family took advantage of this state of flux and laid claim to a lot of land -- perhaps more than they might otherwise have been thought to be entitled to.